Farming

Motuihe has been a farm from the time it was purchased by Campbell and Brown in 1843 right up until the stock was removed to make way for the restoration of the native bush in 2005.

Earlier owners of the island, W H Fairburn and then Henry Taylor do not seem to have farmed it.

1858: John Graham bought the island off Campbell and Brown for 2,000 pounds. He drowned while rowing back from Devonport. His son Robert sold the island to the government in 1872 because his father had mortgaged it.

Mr Thos Duder

Alex Allison

During the Navy time on the island, 1941 until 1963 the eastern end of the island was still farmed.

1960: Darrell and Barbara Cotter and family - appointed by Auckland Domain Board

Bert and Becky Screen and their family

1977: John and Faye Allen and family. They left Motuihe in 1990 and transferred to Motutapu as DOC Ranger. Bruce Nelson lived in the single man’s house. In 1987 when Frank Vanderson moved to Motutapu, John Allen and Bruce Nelson took over part of the DOC job.

1987: Lands and Survey became Landcorp

Land Corp ran the farm from Motutapu Terence Derby of Motutapu Farms Ltd Manager on Motuihe. Motutapu farms used Motuihe farm as a run off. He bought the concession and had it for 2 years. Ronnie Harrison bought the concession off Terrance in 1987.

1984: Ronnie Harrison and Terry Gibbons Licence to operate facilities granted by Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Board including Kiosk plus the farm included in 1987 and the farm on Brown’s Island. When the kiosk burned down in 2002 Ronnie and Terry continued to run the farm. There was no DOC ranger until the kiwis were released in 2009. Farm animals were removed in Jan 2005 and infrastructure and fencing has been removed since so from 2005 Motuihe has not been a farm.